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Updated for 2025/26

£26,190 vs £31,190 Salary Comparison

Compare a £26,190 salary against £31,190. Find out exactly how much more (or less) you will take home after tax.

Gross Difference
+£5,000
per year
Take Home Extra
+£300.00
per month
You Keep
72%
of the raise
5-Year Gain
+£18,000
cumulative

Entry-Level Career Progression

This comparison is typical for early career moves or first promotions. At this salary range, most of your income is taxed at the basic rate (20%), so you keep a higher percentage of any raise.

  • Negotiate hard - you keep ~70-80% of any increase at this level
  • Consider employers offering good pension matching (often worth more than small salary differences)
  • Look for roles with clear progression paths to higher bands
  • Factor in benefits like free lunches, gym memberships, or transport subsidies

Compare Salaries

Enter multiple salaries to compare take-home pay for 2025/26

£
£

Comparison Results

Metric£26,190£31,190Difference
Gross Salary£26,190£31,190£5,000
Income Tax£2,724£3,724£1,000
National Insurance£1,090£1,490£400
Pension£0£0£0
Take-Home Pay (Yearly)
£22,376
£25,976
£3,600
Take-Home (Monthly)£1,865£2,165£300
Effective Tax Rate14.6%16.7%2.2%

£26,190

Gross£26,190
Take-Home£22,376
You Keep85.4%

£31,190

Gross£31,190
Take-Home£25,976
You Keep83.3%

Tax Band Analysis

Understanding where your money goes

£26,190

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£2,724.00
National Insurance£1,089.60
Take Home (Monthly)£1,864.70

£31,190

Tax BandBasic Rate
Marginal Rate20%
Income Tax£3,724.00
National Insurance£1,489.60
Take Home (Monthly)£2,164.70

What £300.00 Extra Buys You

Real-world value of the take-home difference

Monthly Subscriptions
Netflix, Spotify, gym - £100.00/mo
Weekend Breaks
1-2 UK getaways per month at this budget

Full Comparison: £26,190 vs £31,190

£26,190

  • Gross Pay£26,190.00
  • Take Home (Year)£22,376.40
  • Take Home (Month)£1,864.70
  • Effective Tax Rate14.6%

£31,190

  • Gross Pay£31,190.00
  • Take Home (Year)£25,976.40
  • Take Home (Month)£2,164.70
  • Effective Tax Rate16.7%

The difference in take-home pay is £3,600 per year, which works out to £300.00 per month.